1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming device including an image display section and a plurality of gaming stations which are installed for players and which are participable in a game executed at the image display section.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a variety of gaming devices are installed in gaming facilities or casinos. As one of such gaming devices, a configuration is known which includes an image display portion and a plurality of gaming stations (hereinafter, referred to as stations) which are installed for players and executed at the image display section.
Such a gaming device includes: an image display section at which a game is to be executed; and a plurality of stations which are installed around the image display section, where players participate in a game which is executed at the image display section. At a respective one of the stations, there are installed: a gaming medium processing section for processing (mainly, entering and paying out) gaming mediums employed upon execution of a game, such as coins or medals; and a BET operation section for making BET operation for the game that is executed at the image display section.
A configuration disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2005-317032, for example, is known as the abovementioned gaming device which is capable of performing games. This gaming machine includes a table-type cabinet, and is capable of projecting a gaming image and a variety of required images associated with gaming (such as an image for BET operation, for example) by means of a projector which is installed inside of the cabinet, onto an image display section (display) installed in a horizontal state. Further, inside of this cabinet, a detection section is installed which includes: a light source which irradiates infrared light toward the image display section so as to detect a variety of operations (such as BET operation) for a player to executed at the image display section; and a camera which receives reflection light reflected from the player's fingers irradiated from the light source and moving upwardly of the image display section.
In the conventional gaming device thus configured, a player can participate in a game executed at the image display section installed on a surface of the cabinet by making a variety of operations on the image display section, for example, by motion of a finger.
Incidentally, in the conventional gaming device configured above, a person who conducts and monitors a game, such as a dealer, may be absent, or even if such a dealer or person who monitors a game is present, it is difficult to check operation of all of the players. Thus, the management side of the gaming facility can visually keep track of what is going on in the game, and even if incorrect action (operation mistake) or illegal act is taken in the game, it is difficult to recognize such event.
The conventional gaming device is configured so that: a comparison process is performed between a predetermined position (for example, BET operation position) for an image actually projected and an operation position actually detected by the detection section; and, when it is detected that a player has actually made an operation of placing one's finger in a predetermined position, a specific process (such as BET acceptance process) specified at the predetermined position is executed. In this manner, the player can actually perform a game by making a variety of operations on the image display section in the game that is executed at the image display section.
However, if a BET is not placed in a predetermined BET position or if a BET exceeding a specified amount is placed in the BET position, a player cannot make correct BET operation on the image display section. In such a case, invalidating the game is a hard thing for a player, degrading the player's reliability relative to the gaming device.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem, and provides a highly reliable gaming device which is capable of visually keeping track of what is going on in a game and incorrect action (operation mistake)/illegal act in the game under a gaming environment in which a person monitoring a game is substantially absent; and which is capable of saving a player's incorrect BET operation.